Alfa Supercar, the one that was never.

Name: Alfa Romeo Scighera (“mist” in Milanese dialect)

Debuted: 1997 Geneva Motor Show

Specifications:Based upon the Alfa Romeo 163, biturbo-mid-mounted 3.0-liter V6 engine with 400 horsepower, all wheel drive, aluminum body, carbon composite frame structure, 1,450 kg (3,196 lbs) weight

Why It Matters Now:

It was Alfa Romeo who came up with the idea for a legal race car on public roads. It also has an interesting body designed by Italdesign. It might also bring back sweet memories of Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.

It was 1997, and the 164 was nearing the end of its long life cycle. But it didn’t go out without a bang. This executive four-door sedan was the foundation of a fully functioning concept for a supercar with a carbon-composite structure and an all aluminum body to keep weight low. It was a beautiful body.

Instead of having the windows integrated into the car’s doors, Italdesign had the brilliant idea of installing a removable, electrically controlled gullwing system. The driver could simply remove the glass to convert the Scighera to a roadster. The wraparound windscreen at the front was inspired by classic 1950s and 1960s models and provides excellent visibility thanks to the A-pillars. A F1-style bumper was available and a V-shaped grille hood was included. According to Italdesign, the latter was flanked with thin vertical strips of headlights that featured a “clown-eyed” motif.

For a variety of reasons, the rear end was also quite impressive. The bumper featured three exhaust tips, with the vertical taillight strips running along the length of the bumper. A third brake light was built into the prominent wing. The bulging rear fenders and the hood were made from a single piece with a two-stage opening mechanism. The first position was used for fueling, as it unblocked fuel caps. The second allowed access to the engine’s mid-mounted.

The Alfa Romeo Scighera was fitted with a biturbo 3.0-liter V6 that produced 400 horsepower (298kilowatts) and is connected to an all-wheel drive system derived from the compact sedan, the 155. The concept was able to reach a respectable top speed at 186 mph (397 kph).

The Scighera was not only designed to be a supercar that can be driven on roads, but also had a track-only GT version with a coupe body and a huge rear wing.